Hawken Rifle
J. & S. Hawken · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1823
Also known as: Plains rifle, Rocky Mountain rifle, Mountain rifle
Overview
The Hawken rifle was a short, heavy, large-bore percussion plains rifle built by brothers Jacob and Samuel Hawken in St. Louis, Missouri from the 1820s through the 1860s. Featuring a heavy octagonal wrought-iron barrel, a half-stock of curly maple, iron furniture, and a double set trigger, it was prized by mountain men, fur trappers, and frontiersmen for its accuracy, durability, and stopping power against large game such as bison and grizzly bear. Most examples used a percussion lock, though the earliest guns may have employed flintlock ignition. Typical bores ran from .50 to .54 caliber, with some made as large as .68 for big game.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4763 g (168.0 oz) |
| Barrel Length | 914 mm (35.98") |
| Action Type | Muzzleloader |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Double Set |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Barrel Material | Wrought Iron |
| Stock Material | Maple |
| Finish | Browned |
Calibers
- .53 caliber (Hawken) · primary — also known as .50 caliber, .54 caliber
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Muzzle Loaded
- Features: Octagonal Barrel, Half Stock, Double Set Trigger, Curved Cheek Piece, Iron Furniture
Service history
Operators
- American mountain men and fur trappers
Production
Estimated total produced: 4,000 · Production years: 1823-1860
Estimated 3,000-5,000 rifles built across the J. & S. Hawken era; annual output peaked near 200 rifles during the late-1840s gold-rush period.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Jacob and Samuel Hawken
Discontinued: 1860
Notes
Bore diameters varied widely between individual rifles since each was hand-built; the .53-caliber figure here is representative of the common .50-.54 range. The Hawken became the archetypal 'plains rifle' of the American West.
Background
The Hawken became the iconic firearm of the American mountain man and fur-trapping era. Legendary frontiersmen including Jim Bridger and Kit Carson are associated with Hawken rifles, and the gun's reputation for reliability and power made 'a genuine Hawken' a coveted possession across the frontier.